The Monkey And Bananas Problem

[moondawg]

Homework Statement

A 20kg monkey has a firm hold on a light rope that passes over a frictionless pulley and is attatched to a 20kg bunch of bananas. The monkey looks up, sees the bananas, and starts to climb the rope to get them. a.) As the monkey climbs, do the bananas move up,down, or remain at rest? b.) As the monkey climbs, does the distancebetween the monkey and the bananas decrease, increase, or remain constant?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

a.)I thought that the bananas would move up because if the monkey is in motion it will make the bananas overcome any force keeping it at rest.. but I'm not sure if that's correct?!
b.) I thought that the distance decreases because the monkey being in motion will apply a force to the bananas making them move up as the monkey moves up.
Idk if my logic is correct so please help!?

 

[housemartin]

well, if monkey just hangs on the rope what forces acts on monkey and on bananas box? Does net force on banana box or on the monkey change when monkey climbs with constant velocity?
If monkey moves up with acceleration, acceleration requires a force, but force always comes in pair from interaction and in equal magnitude but different directions. here you have only monkey and bananas. So the force that makes monkey go up with acceleration, will also make bananas come up.
About distances i don't understand if it is meant to be distance along rope, or just distance between monkey and bananas (that is straight line). In first case distance decreases, but in second...